Watch Hollywood Insiders Debate the Gender Gap in a New Docu-Series

Of the 318 films that have been produced with blockbuster-level budgets of more than $100 million, only three were directed by women. Oh, and Kathryn Bigelow, that outlier, directed two of them.

This is the sorry state of the union for women and big-budget movies, explains The 4%: Film's Gender Problem. The new series, which premieres on Epix this week, is made up of six short documentaries and based on research conducted at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

It invokes the experiences of trailblazers like Catherine Hardwicke, Jill Soloway, Kristen Wiig, Judd Apatow, and more, painting an outrageous picture: Women aren't considered experienced enough to helm big-budget films, but they can't get experience unless studios give them a chance.

"Of course, you're going to say, 'There's no woman who has a track record for these big action movies,'" director Catherine Hardwicke explains. "'Cause you didn't hire any of us, guys!"

For more horrendous statistics—and a small fraction of optimism because these women are incredible—watch this exclusive clip from the series:

The full set of movies will stream this month on Epix to celebrate Women's History Month, so go on and tune in and celebrate and the fact that women like Anjelica Huston and Kristen Wiig exist. We need them.